“Trendy” Churches Have Empty Pews

Mark White

Modernism and liberalism captivates most American churches and synagogues. They are politically correct, but scripturally wrong. Thankfully, many people are seeing these trendy churches for what they are, and are leaving them in droves. A book entitled, "The Empty Church: The Suicide of Liberal Christianity" by Thomas C. Reeves was reviewed in The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Reeves writes forthrightly concerning the demise of mainline denominationalism in America. Liberal denominational leaders believe that old-fashioned Christianity repels potential churchgoers. Their answer has been to follow modern culture to whatever depth it may plunge. They have ordained homosexuals to their leadership; blurred role distinctions between men and women; questioned the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures; and compromised morality for the sake of "inclusiveness." There is more and more secularity and less and less spirituality. The typical member of a liberal church or synagogue finds it difficult to see why he should spend Sunday morning or Friday evening in a place where secular ideas dominate scriptural teaching. "Weigh the benefits," writes Mr. Reeves: "Sunday with the family at the beach or in church listening to a sermon on AIDS; working for overtime wages or enduring pious generalities about 'dialoguing', 'inclusiveness', and 'sharing and caring'; studying for exams or hearing that the consolations and promises of the Bible are not really or literally true." Reeves succinctly summarizes the problem by saying, "Liberal Protestantism...has succeeded in making itself dispensable."

But the church of the New Testament is a counter-culture movement. God's faithful have never been "trendy." They stand on eternal truth, and unswervingly uphold God's revelation of truth. The Scriptures are still "... profit-able for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Tim. 3:16).

A church that stands for nothing will soon not stand at all.